Fernando - at Renault ?

[WhiteBlue]

It looks like he has signed with Renault. I must admit I thought he would go for BMW. Not that I'm unhappy about it. My guess is that Renault will not go anywhere 2009 with their car. They will still finish max top4 next year. So what will happen at BMW? I guess they will retain Kubica and Heidfeld unless a last minute move for Nico to replace Nick works out. But honestly you would have to kill Frank Williams for that to happen.

[lebesset]

I hope this is true , alonso is a top driver and we need him in a top car

why did renault stop being a top car ? they lost their special tyres and their special electronics ; last year heikki did better on the bridgestones than alonso has this year , but in my view that is because of the electronic changes this year , not because heikki is a better driver ; as I have stated before I think renault were the team most disadvantaged by the rule changes

but next year ...slicks !!!
is there any reason to suspect that there will be a continuation of the bias towards ferrari by bridgestone ? in fact I think the opposite is true .... notice the recent spec changes in recent races , harder compounds [ quote from bridgestone ....the choice last year was too soft [precis] ] in reality it was fine for ferrari , not for the others ; maybe they have realised it won't look good for them if that continues , and the other teams will make sure that there is no chance of the contract being renewed !

so with more suitable rubber [ am sure the FIA have looked carefully for bias before the approvals were granted ], I for one expect renault to be back on the podium next year , all efforts concentrated on alonso like before ; maybe even winning a race ?

so maybe white blue is a pessimist and I am an optimist ...can't wait to find out!!
at least we agree that renault is a good place for alonso ...it seems he needs to be somewhere where he is the favoured son , and the renault chassis philosophy suits his driving style

[Conceptual]

I think Alonso staying at Renault for 2009 is his best option. It is too difficult to fit into a new team, and expect results. With Renault's surge in the second half of this year, and nect years car being tuned around Fernando, he would be pretty stupid to leave.

With Renault's budget increasing next year, and the fact that I am SURE they are now working on engine upgrades (especially if they want to be in the RBR chassis next year), and a very different set of rules, the playing field should be a bit more level than this year (although it has been a while since 4 different teams have won in a season).

I like this new, modest, humble Fernando Alonso. Kind of makes me want to take back all of the things I said about him in 2006-2007. But maybe my mind has changed now that he is an under-dog instead of a front runner.

The F1 landscape is set to change next year, and if McLaren and Ferrari push the developments to the last round of the championship this year, the teams that have their 2009 cars already well advanced may just catch up for next year.

All in all, I find that in the larger scope of looking at F1, in recent times I find myself torn between what I am more excited about...

The results of this year, and the unknowns of next year.

[Conceptual]

(double post)

[kool]

I am hope to fernando to go BMW.because BMW next season can be won championship

[ESPImperium]

Im glad that Relault have a driver of Fernados undoubted quality for 2009, if it gets announced. I feel that Renault needs a quality driver to push them forward to the front of the grid again.

However, as for his team mate, i can see Nelshinho getting the push and posibly Di Grasi getting the nod, or even Bourdais if he dosnt get a STR drive for 09. I feel that the 2nd place that Nelshinho had at the Hockenhiemring isnt enough for him to secure his posistion for 2009.

As for the renault car... They have been disadvantaged by the new rules, but i feel that if RBR drop them for 2009 and go Ferarri, they can concentrate all their efforts on their engine and have it become the force it once was. The new aero rules for 09 could help Renault as i feel its one of the cleaner looking cars on the grid, thus gaining an advantage this way as it dosne have many appendages that have to go really. That way regaining a compeditive edge that way.

As for the Renault KERS system, its a Magnetti Marenelli devant of the Ferarri one that STR, RBR and FIF1 will use for 2009 from what im led to belive, meaning that it should be decent out of the box.

Those are my thoughts on this.

[WhiteBlue]

Big rule changes usually benefit the leading teams with big budgets. Renault have dropped a lot of resources and have no way to get them back in time for next years car. They will get their KERS very late for testing, so if there are issues they will be in trouble. I think that Renault will not make progress but stay where they are.

Fernando may have realised that the policy of burned earth from McLaren 2007 will not work. He needs to show the principals that he is a team player and can help to build up a team that has gone down from the top. So Renault is actually a test of character for him. I just don't know why two years at BMW isn't working for him. I expect them to aim for Kubica/Vettel by 2011 and Alonso could have been a good stand in until then. He would have an option to take Kimi's place at Ferrari then.

[Miguel]

why did renault stop being a top car ? they lost their special tyres and their special electronics ; last year heikki did better on the bridgestones than alonso has this year , but in my view that is because of the electronic changes this year , not because heikki is a better driver ; as I have stated before I think renault were the team most disadvantaged by the rule changes

I hear the point of Kovalainen fairing better than alonso often. Well, last year Heikki got 30 points in 17 races. Alonso has 28 points from the last 14 races. And that's after mistakes in Monaco and Canada, plus an engine failure in Barcelona when some points were at reach.

[lebesset]

you must realise that despite being owned by renault , the renault F1 team is , in reality , a british team , the language of the team is still english , as it was when it was toleman , and when it was benetton ; the overwhelming percentage of employees are british

as a british company it must submit it's accounts to the british government , and are publicly available , and while alonso was there they they had the highest budget of any british team , McLaren included ! it is only since he left that their income dropped ...presumably some spanish sponsors left with him

so it looks like renault france are going to pump in some money , and with a more equitable tyre design I have great hopes for the team .....the history of F1 is full of success for teams with good drivers /good chassis beating teams with vastly more powerful engines , which is why ferrari were in the wilderness for years even with easily the best engines , and renault were reduced to claiming they were world champions because someone else was winning with their engine !

alonso at ferrari ...not best for him unless they change their design ..kimi has struggled to adapt as he is similar in style to alonso ; it will never happen but the best driver for the reds would be button in my opinion ....his smooth style would suit the car .....which is why massa is doing so well , even though he isn't a cut and thrust racer

and miguel , don't get your point ; heikki was in his first season , hardly had a point until canada , then scored most races for the rest of the season ; alonso is in his 6th [?] ; for that reason heikkis performance was better in my view ; but as I said , that was because the car was better last year

[Miguel]

It's normal you didn't get my point, because I didn't make any . All I said was that the difference in points between 2007 Heikki and 2008 Alonso is minimal (with three races less for fernando). You can get the conclusions you want from that. If I were to bet on the number of points Alonso will get in the next three races, I'd say six.

My opinion regarding Heikki is that, apart from terrible Monaco and Melbourne races (plus Montreal until Sunday!) was that he was okay, but not much faster than fisichella. He did capitalise from conditions in Fuji and Canada. My other opinion is that his race pace this year simply sucks. He's been quick only on very certain conditions (Bahrain third stint comes to mind). Tire degradation issues are indeed hampering him but even then, apart from Bahrain, he's been too far from Hamilton for comfort. But all this is off topic. It does seem like Alonso will stay in Renault.

BTW: I'm sure Mercedes budget isn't included in McLaren's accounting record.

[WhiteBlue]

Rumors

F1: Raikkonen's Ferrari Contract Extension A Ruse ?
The renewal of Kimi Raikkonen's Ferrari tenure was announced recently at Monza, but the news has not stopped speculation about the future of the Italian team's lineup.

'Mediaset', a major Italian television network, is claiming this week that Fernando Alonso could still be poised to switch to the Maranello based team following next year's championship.

It is reported that Alonso, 27, has already signed an agreement, and that Ferrari will simply terminate Raikkonen's newly-announced deal with a small buyout.

Mediaset said the contract extension announced by Ferrari at Monza was the result of Raikkonen triggering a one-sided option in his current contract to renew for one more year.

The Finn's option, however, reportedly leaves the door open for Ferrari to pay a financial penalty and annul the contract. Mediaset said Ferrari's unannounced new 2010 sponsor, Santander, could pick up the bill.

The rumour also ties in with rising speculation that Alonso is set to stay at Renault for another season in 2009, rather than switch to BMW-Sauber or Honda and then need to move yet again to Ferrari in 2010.

this explains why Alonso seems to drop the BMW option. it could be plausible.

[lebesset]

miguel ...do you mean like the renault engine factory in france isn't included in renault F1's budget ?

[Miguel]

miguel ...do you mean like the renault engine factory in france isn't included in renault F1's budget ?

Good catch! I didn't think about it. It was an attempt at explaining why all the figures I've seen in F1Racing pointed towards Macca, Ferrari and Toyota (a couple of years ago) as the biggest spenders.

[DaveKillens]

I remember just back a couple of years when the rumors and speculation about Kimi Raikonnen and Michael Schumacher's futures were in doubt. Just about every possible scenario was bantered about, and massive amounts of disinformation was being spread by all parties concerned.
So I'll just wait and see where Alonso winds up.

[Conceptual]

Rumors

F1: Raikkonen's Ferrari Contract Extension A Ruse ?
The renewal of Kimi Raikkonen's Ferrari tenure was announced recently at Monza, but the news has not stopped speculation about the future of the Italian team's lineup.

'Mediaset', a major Italian television network, is claiming this week that Fernando Alonso could still be poised to switch to the Maranello based team following next year's championship.

It is reported that Alonso, 27, has already signed an agreement, and that Ferrari will simply terminate Raikkonen's newly-announced deal with a small buyout.

Mediaset said the contract extension announced by Ferrari at Monza was the result of Raikkonen triggering a one-sided option in his current contract to renew for one more year.

The Finn's option, however, reportedly leaves the door open for Ferrari to pay a financial penalty and annul the contract. Mediaset said Ferrari's unannounced new 2010 sponsor, Santander, could pick up the bill.

The rumour also ties in with rising speculation that Alonso is set to stay at Renault for another season in 2009, rather than switch to BMW-Sauber or Honda and then need to move yet again to Ferrari in 2010.

this explains why Alonso seems to drop the BMW option. it could be plausible.

That seems pretty ballsy, especially if Kimi ends up as the 2009 WDC, which is entirely possible.

I just cannot believe that Ferrari would ditch a guy that has won one WDC for them, continuously props his team, and has never made a backstabbing remark, just so they can bring in the crybabypeepants, world media team dissing, blackmailing Fernando Alonso.

Kimi has a bad race and accepts the blame, regardless of whose fault it is. Fernando last year had nothing but "It's the team, not me" comments.

And I sincerely doubt that the possible 2x WDC Felipe Massa would play second fiddle to the 2x WDC Fernando Alonso in 2010, and you KNOW that would be part of Nando's contract.

If Felipe wins the WDC this year, and Kimi wins next year, I doubt that you will see Fernando in a red car in 2010.

If there is any truth to this, it is simply the OPTION that is available, not a GUARANTEE.

Nando is a very, very good driver, but with younger talent (Kubica, Vettel, Sutil, Rosberg, and several other Formulae drivers) available, I don't see them re-shuffling a winning combination for a person that is known to turn against his team.

The results of the 2008 and 2009 championships are sure to be the determining factor, not driver availability.